Twee Hue howling for Halloween

Despite its reputation as a city hesitant to adopt foreign traditions,
Hue city, capital of the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, is buzzing
with Halloween excitement.

The city is festooned
with Halloween decorations: dead bodies, ghosts, pumpkins and monsters -
a reminder of the city's younger generation.

Shops
display various decorations and Halloween costumes for sale while fake
dead bodies are found hanging on trees throughout the city.

"I found many interesting things from Halloween and have been feeling scared of ghosts," said 25-year-old local Ngoc Bich.

Bich and her close friends prepare costumes to dress as witches and monsters for a costume party at a local bar.

Meanwhile, another local resident, Bao Huy, said he has trained in the
English Language Faculty to learn about the tradition. Huy has planned a
Halloween dinner for his friends before they go to a party at DMZ Bar,
famous in Hue for its annual Halloween party, primarily attended by
foreign tourists.

Coffee shops, where most
youngsters congregate in the old city, are redesigning the shops to
coincide with the Halloween theme and hold Vietnamese-style Halloween
parties for young locals.

The His&Her coffee
shop is offering free face paintings for guests who order food and
beverages, with no cover charge.

"We are holding
the party for frequent guests to our shop. They are young and do enjoy
cross-cultural events," said shop host Thuy Duong.

Similarly, the Thuna House coffee shop is offering entrance tickets to
winners of a photo contest held prior to the "Twilight Party".

Other coffee shops will hold different Halloween parties, for couples
and those coming alone. Singes will have the option of a service to rent
female or male partners.

As a tradition, the
International Studies Faculty in Hue University of Foreign Languages
holds a party for students to enjoy themselves and learn about the
tradition, says young lecturer Le Ngoc.

This year's event includes a costume party, comedic performances and a musical play by students.

Talking about the effects of foreign cultural imports such as
Halloween, one local culture expert said the younger generations
demonstrated a keenness to embrace foreign cultural traditions, while
remaining faithful to their own things.-VNA